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It needed a master； and only one man in a million would be able to do it： Professor John Lowson！ He smiled at the thought。 No good saying anything to either Gavin or Liz。 Neither of them had any ambition。
It could be done。 He didn't see how at this very moment but most certainly he would find a way。 All he needed was time。 Time for research。 Time to apply the findings of that research。 So far he had gained a day。 Tomorrow they would spend with the slumbering beast； but the day after 。。。 Gavin would certainly want to get in touch with the British Museum then。
Fortunately the darkness prevented the other two from seeing his expression。 Nothing would stop him。 There were ways and means of silencing his panions 。。。 for good； even if one of them was his niece。 Calor…gas had a nasty habit of leaking； particularly during the nocturnal hours when people slept。。。 never to waken！ Still； there was always the chance that they would listen to reason。
The block house loomed up ahead of them； gaunt and uninviting。
Liz collapsed into the nearest chair as soon as they entered； quivering with relief。
Gavin busied himself preparing the food。 'Perhaps it would be best if you stopped here tomorrow。 After all； apart from that horrible thing in the mud that smell can't do anybody a lot of good。 You stand a chance of catching diphtheria as much as anything。'
But her expression was defiant 'You two aren't going to steal all the glory。 After all it's just a。。。 Slime Beast！'
'The Slime Beast。' Gavin paused and turned round。 'Say； that sounds a good name for it。 The Slime Beast。。。 sums' it up perfectly。'
He handed the other two a mug of soup each and picked one up for himself。
'Well； I guess we'll know a good deal more about it by this time tomorrow。 Then we'll really be able to give the boys some info to start on。'
Professor Lowson took his soup back to his quarters with him。 He 〃would take no chances on his expression revealing his thoughts。
CHAPTER THREE
THE meal such as it was； seemed to revive them。 New life coursed through their veins and all traces of tiredness disappeared。 Gavin looked at his watch。
'Eight o'clock；' he said。 Too early for an early night even。 We could always go into Sutton for a drink。 We can take the Land Rover。'
Liz began brushing her hah'。 'Good idea。 I could do with a break。 Just to get out of this stuffy hole for an hour or so will be a relief。'
She went into the adjoining partment to tell the Professor and found him seated at a card…table； surrounded by books and papers； busily writing in his notebook。 He did not even look up。
'Uncle Jack；' she said。 'Gavin and I are just popping into Sutton for a drink。'
'Hmm。 。 。' he carried on writing。 She went back to Gavin。
'He's lost in his own little world；' she smiled。 'Probably writing a thesis on the Slime Beast。 Getting it all ready to hand over to the British Museum along with the thing itself。 Ugh！' she shuddered。
There was only one pub in Sutton： The Bull； which stood just back from the estuary in the centre of a row of untidy cottages。
They noticed the name over the door as they entered：
Thomas Southgate…Licensed to sell Beer； Spirits and Tobacco。'
There was just a public bar： nothing else。 Bare boards； half a dozen tables and chairs and a dartboard at the far end。 Some fishermen were playing dominoes and three or four more clustered round the bar。 The large bearded man pulling pints of ale was obviously Tom Southgate。 He was sullen and spoke little。
Gavin ushered Liz into one of the chairs and walked up to the bar。 Southgate looked up； saw him； scowled and carried on serving。 Surly bastard； Gavin thought
'A pint of bitter and a scotch and ginger；' he said when his turn came。
'You're one of these treasure…hunters I suppose；' South…gate mumbled as he took Gavin's money。
Gavin nodded。 Probably Glover had been hi here shooting his mouth off。
'Wastin' yer own bloody time as well as spoilin' other people's livinV the landlord banged the change down noisily on the bar。 'Don't yer think the bloody stuff would've been found by now if it was there？ Bloody 'ell！ The Wash's been dug over about ten times by twits like you！ '
Gavin felt his blood rising but fought to control himself。 'You should be glad of the trade。 Just think of the crowds who would flock here if it really was found。'
'And we can bleedin' well do without 'em；' Southgate spat back。 Tt ain't theirs to look for anyway。 If it is out there then I says it should stop there。 It ain't hurting nobody。 People've got a livin' to make。 Besides you don't know what you're meddlin' with。 There's queer things go on out on them marshes。 Take that meteorite the other night。 If that wasn't a sign to warn you off then I don't know what was。'
'What meteorite？' Gavin was unable to curb the excitement in his voice。
The one that crashed down on the saltings just on closing time o'course；' Southgate had obviously little or no patience with anybody。 'Everybody round 'ere saw it。 Came down slowly； almost driftin'。 A flamin' mass。 Landed out on the edge o' the saltings somewhere。 Like I said you'd do well to mind yer bloody own business mister。 Yer never knows。 One might e down on that blockhouse you've taken it into yer 'eads to camp in。 That's a bleedin' liberty if ever there was one！'
Gavin said nothing； ignoring the guffaws and aside remarks from the regulars。 His mind was in a whirl as he carried the drinks back to Liz。
'Did you hear that？'
'About the meteorite？ You don't think that what Uncle said could have been true do you？' Her plexion was a shade paler。 'I mean do you really think that the Slime Beast came from outer space？ And if so； why？'
'I don't know what to think； but it certainly adds up。 As to why it came 。。。 well； the Russians experimented with monkeys in space； didn't they？ Imagine an alien race； amphibians possibly on a distant planet； a world of mud and water。 Perhaps their planet is drying up。 They need to look for another。 Earth has more than its fair share of the type of terrain they require to live in； so they sent the old Slime Beast as an experiment But something went wrong； and the ship caught fire and crash…landed on the marshes of the Wash； burying itself and its occupant deep in the mud。 As luck would have it the Professor's metal detector located the burnt fragments and we've dug up this monster。 Miraculously its still alive。 AH conjecture of course but where do we go from here？'
'It's too horrible to think about；' Liz shuddered and sipped her whisky。 'Just suppose they decided to send another。 Or suppose they all came。 Emigrated in force！'
Gavin drained his glass and stood up。 'For all we know they may be perfectly harmless。 We're judging this one solely on its looks。'
'And smell；' Liz wrinkled her nose。
'Anyway we'd better get back and see what your uncle has to say to this latest